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Born in Hampton, Virginia, Calvin Coleman spent his adolescent years in the quiet suburb town of Swarthmore, just outside of Philadelphia, PA. Calvin attended Lincoln University where he received his degree in Early Childhood Education.
Infusing movement and color in many of his works, Calvin sets out to capture new feelings and emotion his paintings.
Over the last decade, Calvin has spent time perfecting his uses of various mediums such as: watercolor, oil, charcoal, acrylic and his unique collage technique. More recently, he has further stretched the expressive possibilities of his collages by combining fabric and textured paper with acrylic and oil paints to create works of spectacular richness and texture.
The messages that Coleman’s works relay are global as he strongly believe that his spiritual beliefs are global and has the power to transcend cultural, ethnic and national barriers.
Selected Exhibitions:
ArtJaz Gallery, Group Exhibition Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore Artscape, Baltimore, MD
Bethesda Art Row, Bethesda, MD
The Gallery of African Wildlife and Contemporary Art, Capitol Heights, MD
Mercedes Benz of Annapolis, MD and K&P Builders Art at Home Tour, Clinton, MD
Florida’s Black Heritage Art Festival, Tallahassee, FL
Greater New York Area Black Memorabilia Collectible Show, Secaucus, NJ
Montpelier Juried Art Show, Laurel, MD
John 3:16 Bookstore, New Carrolton, MD
For His Glory Bookstore, Largo, MD
Philadelphia, PA – May 2, 2008 – ArtJaz Gallery is pleased to present artist, Calvin Coleman in his 2008 solo exhibition entitled, “Rebirth”. The exhibition features mixed media paintings and debuts three new painting series for the artist: “The Family”, “The Key to Knowing” and “The Power of Man. “Rebirth” opens
Friday, June 6, 2008. A preview reception and artist talk will be held on
Sunday, May 18t h 2- 6pm. The Artist Reception will be held on Friday, June
6th, 5- 9pm and the exhibition continues through July 19, 2008.
Calvin Coleman’s previous solo exhibition “Beyond Color” at ArtJaz Gallery in 2006 was vividly infused in color and content, inviting the viewer to go beyond the obvious color and composition and gravitate toward the complexity of his mixed media paintings. The “Rebirth” exhibition reverses that order by utilizing colorful mixed media paintings on paper and canvas to bring forward the simplicity and importance of global concerns that highlight the human condition.
Coleman’s new ongoing series, “The Family, “The Key to Knowing” and “The Power of Man” provide a painterly “comfort food for the soul” in the familiarity of subjects readily identifiable to modern society. For example “The Family” series yields cohesiveness in the symbolic importance of the family unit. Coleman laments the bond of family through haunting color and mixed media composition allowing the viewer to see both the strength and vulnerability of each member of the family. As in life, together as a unit, the family prevails with greater strength. Coleman states, “The importance of the family is particularly significant given our society’s pressures globally and individually. Through color and texture I’m attempting to emotionally pull the family through all of today’s challenges. Family is of core importance to each of us”.
Born in Hampton, Virginia, Calvin Coleman II spent his
adolescent years in Swarthmore, a Pennsylvania suburb. After graduating
from Lincoln University where he earned his B.S. degree in Early Childhood
Education, Coleman taught at the elementary level for fourteen years. While
teaching, Calvin was also preparing himself to become a professional artist.
In 2004, Coleman made the transition that changed his life forever.
Primarily a self-taught artist, Coleman builds upon the
canvas with an assemblage of layers of acrylic paint, a variety of textiles
and other mediums to embellish his uninhibited style of painting. In recognizing
a great interest in brilliant colors and texture, he has been inspired by
the techniques of Richard Mayhew and Chaim Soutine (French Abstract Expressionist).
Coleman’s paintings reflect strength in a melody of blended hues, coupled with the usage of manipulated canvas strips and textiles. In Art Matters, January 2007, art critic Wuanda Walls stated, Calvin’s work is “endowed with an aura of originality and poetic whimsy.” Works by Calvin Coleman are included in numerous public and private collections.
“Rebirth” exhibition with Calvin Coleman will be on display June 6 – July 19, 2008. “Rebirth” opens
Friday, June 6, 2008. A preview reception and artist talk will be held
on Sunday, May 18th, 2- 6pm. The Artist Reception will be held on Friday,
June 6th, 5- 9pm and the exhibition continues through July 19, 2008. For
more information, call 215-922-4800. ArtJaz Gallery is located at 53 North
Second Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106 or visit www.artjaz.com.
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